When The Bough Breaks
by Amanda Hawthorn
Summary: Fiona shares a long kept secret with Madeline then realises they have more in common than she thought. Post season 4.WARNING: This story contains the sensitive subject matter of miscarriage.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Burn Notice and its characters don't belong to me unfortunately. If they did I'd hand them over to all the fanfiction writers, now wouldn't that be fun!**

**Feedback: Love it but no flames please, I'm fragile!**

**Rating: T**

**AN: This idea came from that Fiona season 4 line to Madeline: **_**'Oh he's done far worse'**_

**Thanks you so much for all of your reviews, favourite story adds and personal messages. It is very humbling and very much appreciated. For people enquiring about my CSI/GSR stories, you can expect an update on 'When all is said and done' very soon.**

**Huge thanks to the fantastic Purdy's Pal and DaisyDay for their input and ideas, and to my fabulous niece Kelly who reads through all of my re-writes.**

**I may continue this story to another chapter if anyone wants it.**

**WARNING: This story contains the sensitive subject matter of miscarriage. There's nothing graphic but if you're not comfortable in reading then please press the back button and go to another story.**

**Dedicated to Kelly, she knows why**

When The Bough Breaks

Fiona looked up from her place on the bed when the door to the loft opened and Sam's voice called out.

"You decent?" he asked dramatically as he came into the loft with the palm of his hand over his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be decent?" she asked indignantly, moving off of her stomach to crawl to the edge of the bed and sit down.

Sam opened his fingers and peeked through them just to be sure before coming further into the loft. "Well, the last time I just walked in here—"

"Oh get over it Sam, I was covered."

"Barely," Sam scowled at her. "Were you really trying to give ol' Sammy a heart attack, because I'm telling you sister, if you kill me I'll come back and haunt ya!"

"Oh…there's a lot of people just queuing up to haunt me…you'll have to get in line," she grinned. Pulling herself forward she reached down and picked up her shoes to slip them on. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh I don't want nothin'" he told her, "well I wouldn't say that exactly, I have a new lady friend who is just waiting for some good old Sammy loving—"

"STOP," Fiona held her hand up and squeezed her eyes closed. "Too many details!"

"You asked…"

"So what you really came here for was to check on me?" Fiona's voice dripped with sarcasm as her lips turned up into a wide smile. "That is so sweet. I'm touched!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," taking his cell phone out of his pocket and waved it in her direction. "I have a Message from Maddie…Answer your damn phone!"

Fiona sighed and walked around to her side of the bed and lifted her phone and looked down at the lifeless screen, "I turned it off."

"Well turn it on, I've had her whittering in my ear about how she hasn't seen you in days." Placing his phone back in his pocket he turned and walked towards the door and stopped to look at her expectantly. "So I am here to take you over there now."

"What? I can't go now!" she told him, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation.

"Well, I've got news for you missy, she ain't budging and Sammy has a date, so can we just hurry this up?"

Fiona sighed heavily and reluctantly followed him out of the door. "You owe me," she growled.

"Hey, she's your mother in law, sister…" A wide grin spread across his face as he witnessed the murderous scowl of Fiona Glenanne. Holding his hands up in mock surrender he started down the stairs. "Take it up with Mikey when he gets back. According to Jesse it could be real soon."

"Wait, you spoke to Jesse?" She stopped walking down the stairs and grabbed onto the hand rail. Her heart fluttered with the prospect of having him home again.

"See that's what happens when you don't have your phone switched on, you miss important calls." He looked back at her and a small part of him actually felt a little bit sorry for her, but it soon passed. "Come on Fi, the sooner you get this over with the sooner you can get back here…"

000

Fiona took another long sip from her fourth bottle of beer and felt the pain inside her fading with the swirling motion of her brain. She lifted the bottle and tried to focus on the label as the voice of Madeline speaking on the phone drifted into the background.

It had been two weeks since Michael had been taken from them after their gun fight with Vaughn, and all there had been was silence. Fiona did everything she could to keep herself from worrying about him, and sometimes in the odd few seconds when she was distracted, she actually succeeded. But when everything came flooding back in a wave full of memories, she missed him a little more each time.

She hadn't spent many night's at Michaels's mothers like this since his departure. And truth be told she was trying to avoid a situation like this. Being here without him seemed wrong. Lifting the bottle to her lips again, her mind wandered back to just over an hour ago when Sam had essentially abandoned her here. She hadn't had any time to prepare before the door flew open and she was pulled into a strong embrace.

"You shouldn't be spending all this time alone Fiona," the older woman had told her as she held onto her so tightly. "We're a family, and families stick together."

Fiona sighed as Madeline's one sided telephone conversation about Nate and Ruth's impending new arrival drifted into the background, and she soon found her mind wandering to a time so long ago when Michael McBride had left her life in turmoil, and with a secret that she had never told anyone

She hadn't had much time to mourn for her loss back then, and over time she had managed to banish it from her memory. But sometimes when her mind become less guarded she remembered all the things that she could have had and how her life could have been so much different. She sighed wistfully as her mind drifted, unaware of the words spilling from her lips…

"I was pregnant once," her voice was soft and full of sadness as the alcohol she'd consumed loosened her tongue. She closed her eyes to try and stop the room from spinning, but the warm hand on her arm brought her back to her senses and she snapped them open again.

"What did you say?" Madeline asked with a mixture of shock and concern.

"Huh?" Fiona was confused. "I didn't say anything…I…"

Lifting the phone to her ear again, Madeline kept one eye of Fiona before bidding a hasty goodbye and disconnected the call.

"Fiona?" Madeline asked questioningly as she came to sit beside her. "You were pregnant?"

Fiona swallowed hard and placed her bottle of beer onto the table in front of her. "Oh…I didn't mean…It was a long time ago."

"What happened, honey?" Madeline asked softly as she reached out to wrap her fingers around Fiona's hand.

Fiona's eyes dropped to their joined hands and all she wanted to do was make the last few minutes just disappear. "I don't like to talk about it."

"Well you should talk about it," the older woman told her as she withdrew her hand to put a cigarette to her lips and light it. Taking a long drag, she blew the smoke out into the room and looked at Fiona with an expectant gaze.

Fiona's eyes locked with Madeline's in a desperate plea for her to drop the subject but she knew there was no hope of that now. With a heavy sigh, she got to her feet and moved over to the window, staring out into the starry sky. She felt as if she was in a dream, detached from her body.

"He never knew," she finally spoke; her voice so soft that Madeleine had to strain to hear her. "He left and…I never thought I would see him again. "

Silence encompassed the room before Madeline slowly stood to move over to the window, her eyes scanning the younger woman's flushed face.

"Are you okay honey?"

"Me?" Fiona looked up at her with haunted eyes. "I'm fine…I think I'm going to head back to the loft..."

"Stay," Madeline told her. "You can't say something like this and leave."

"I can't," Fiona shook her head slowly before closing her eyes. "I lost it anyway, so what does it matter now..."

"It matters Fi," Madeline told her as she reached out to touch her shoulder, surprised that the she didn't turn away. She regarded her for a few silent moments, worry etched over her face as she asked the question that was burning on her lips. "Michael never knew he was going to be a father?"

Fiona's eyes flashed with the painful memories as she turned to face Madeline's watery gaze, and not for the first time she wished she had never opened her mouth. Shaking her head she sighed desolately.

"No one knew."

"Oh sweetheart," Madeline reached out to touch her hand again and was more than relieved when she took it to wrap her slim fingers around hers. "Come and sit down."

Fiona's legs felt like lead as she allowed the older woman to guide her towards the couch and gently ease her down.

"I'll make us some tea," Madeline told her, stepping away. "And then we can sit and talk, or just sit, whatever you want."

"Can we just sit," Fiona asked her softly as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She thought she'd dealt with this loss a long time ago, but now as she sat here, not knowing what to do, it reared up again to bring a lump to her throat.

"We can do whatever you want to do, honey," Madeline told her as she reached down to squeeze her hand before moving towards the kitchen.

"Can we just forget I said anything?" Fiona asked her with a hopefully sad smile. Part of her wanted to bury the memory back into the far reaches of her mind and never speak of it again. But there was that part of her that still ached for the child she had lost.

"Is that what you really want?"

Madeline's voice caused her to catch her breath and she jumped slightly when the older woman came to sit beside her again.

Fiona lifted her eyes to Madeline's face but avoided her gaze. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"But you did, honey. You can't take something back just because it's painful."

"I…"

"I lost a child too," Madeline told her as she reached out again to place her hand over hers. " I know how it feels Fiona, I really do."

"You?"

"Yes honey…I know how much it hurts. I went through so many stages of being so angry that I wanted to scream at every pregnant woman I saw. I hated Frank even though it wasn't his fault. Even though he wasn't there when it happened." Moving closer, Madeline reached across to put her arm around Fiona's small form. "But it doesn't do any good to keep it bottled up inside."

Fiona leant into her shoulder and waited quietly while Madeline lit another cigarette and took a long drag before puffing smoke into the air.

"I was just over four months pregnant," Madeline started as she focused on the glowing cigarette between her fingers. "I got it into my head that I wanted to paint the nursery. Frank had promised to paint it the weekend before, but like always he had other things to do and I just got tired of waiting for him." Madeline leaned her head against Fiona's and closed her eyes against the memories of that fateful day. Reaching forward she stubbed the cigarette out into the ashtray before she spoke again.

"I got up on a stool, trying to get paint onto the top of the ceiling but I lost my balance and fell. I remember laying there and praying that I wouldn't feel any pain, but I knew as soon as I tried to move that I was going to lose her."

"Her?" Fiona asked in a whisper as she lifted her head to look up at the older woman. "You had a girl?"

"Yes," Madeline's voice caught in her throat as she remembered the commotion of her tiny child swaddled in sheets being whisked away. "They told me she was beautiful…"

Shaking her head, Madeline tried to erase the memory and sighed into Fiona's hair. "Like you, I pushed her memory to the back of my mind and tried not to think of her…but it was so hard honey…having Michael and Nate later made it hurt a little less, but I still feel the loss, even now."

Fiona's heart ached for the woman who held her so tightly. In that one moment she wished she could have unburdened her secret to Michael and her family so long ago, instead of carrying it all alone. After a long moment she swallowed heavily.

"I was so angry at him," Fiona closed her eyes as she spoke, shaking her head to try and erase the memories. "It didn't even occur to me that I could be pregnant, I was so numb when he left…for the first time in my life I was totally lost."

When her voice trailed off, Madeline resisted the urge to reach for another cigarette, instead choosing to tighten her arm around Fiona's shoulder. "What did you do?"

"What could I do?" Fiona's voice rose in anger as she opened her eyes and pulled away from Madeline's embrace. "I was in love with a man who in all accounts didn't exist. What was I supposed to tell my child when it asked about its father? Call him an invisible man?"

Pulling her hand away from Madeline, she stood to her feet and turned away from her while she tried to calm her breathing.

"There was a part of me that hated him...really, really hated him…He broke my heart and left me behind thinking that everything we had shared was a lie..." Taking a deep breath she swallowed her anger and turned around, her eyes meeting Madeline's concerned gaze. "I found out I was pregnant two weeks after he left…and well…I reacted badly…" her voice trailed off as she remembered the many burned out buildings that she had blown up and ruined.

Madeline watched her silently. She could feel the anguish rolling off of Fiona in waves, a feeling she knew so well. She was about to open her mouth to speak when Fiona started talking again.

"I…I was on my way to a meeting with some new clients when…it happened…" Her eyes glazed over as she remembered that day that held so many painful memories. "It was dark and I remember falling to my knees because the pain was so unbearable. All I kept thinking was that if only I'd wanted it more I wouldn't have lost it. If I hadn't have been so angry…" Her eyes lifted to Madeline's, tears welling inside them. "Do you think I'm a bad person?"

"What?" Madeline gasped and lurched off the couch to reach for her hands. "No honey, never."

"I thought about giving it away…just for a split second…that's all…but it knew…" Fiona could feel her resolve slipping as a single tear escaped to carve a wet track down her cheek. "…It knew…"

"Oh no, sweetheart," Madeline's eyes watered as she pulled Fiona's trembling form into her arms. "It wasn't your fault. You can't blame yourself for something that you couldn't control."

"But, I lost it…" Fiona's voice cracked as she spoke. "I lost Michael…"

"But you found him again," Madeline pulled away to place one of her hands on Fiona's wet cheek. "You found each other."

"I…"

"You need to tell him, Fi…he'll be more understanding than you think," Madeline told her with a soft smile as she pulled her hand away to stand back and look at the younger woman affectionately. "He would have wanted that baby, honey. Do you know how I know that?"

Fiona shook her head slowly as she swiped at the wetness on her cheeks.

"Because you were its mother," Madeline told her with a knowing smile.

Her words caused Fiona's tears to well again but she tried to blink them away. She knew she should have told Michael a long time ago, but they were never at that point in their relationship where she could know for definite that he was the man she would be with forever. But things had evolved between them over the last year and even though they had never voiced their feeling aloud, she knew that he was the only man she had ever loved so deeply.

"I should have told him but I…" sniffing back the emotion in her eyes, she slowly nodded her head. "…when the time is right, I'll tell him."

"Good…" Madeline swiped at her own eyes and stood back to offer her a bright smile. "We're going to be okay honey, both of us…We're strong women who have to stick together. Lord knows we need it with that son of mine…" Patting Fiona's cheek, she couldn't help but feel so much love for the woman stood before her, even more so now. "Now how about I make us that tea?"

"Madeline," Fiona's voice stopped her in her tracks and she turned to meet her glistening eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart," she told her as she turned away to walk back towards the kitchen.

Taking a cleansing breath, Fiona turned to follow her; thankful that the bond they had always shared was so much deeper now.

"I'll help you."

End


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for all of your reviews, favourite story adds and personal messages. They are all very much appreciated. **

**When I started writing this chapter I realised that I couldn't fit Fiona's and Michael's reunion, and include everything that I wanted to put into that, **_**and**_** include Fiona's confession to Michael, so this will spill over into a third chapter.**

**To make up for the wait, I hope you'll forgive me and accept this offering of a Michael/Fiona chapter.**

**As always thank you to Purdy's Pal and Daisyday for being my sounding board, and to Kelly for reading through this chapter.**

2

At the loft, Fiona lifted her face into the breeze as she sat on one of the lounge chairs on the balcony. The sun was starting to set in the sky and a gentle wind whipped around her shoulders causing her to shiver slightly. Bending her legs, she pulled them up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on her knees.

Since Michael left she had camped out in his loft, moving in what little of her belongings she had left until she could find herself a new apartment. She smiled ruefully when her mind filtered back to the six small boxes that had been left unscathed by Jesse's handiwork. When he'd blown up her apartment he had destroyed the last remnants of the life she'd had in Ireland. All she had left were memories and charred photographs of her family.

As she thought of her family, her mind drifted to just over a week ago when she'd shared her long kept secret with Madeline. Something had evolved between the two of them and they had spent enormous amounts of time together, mostly just talking. But her confession to Madeline had opened up old wounds that had never had a chance to heal, causing her mind to constantly revisit that awful night, leaving her numb.

Looking up into the cloudless sky she closed her eyes, wishing that Michael were here to take some of the weight from her shoulders.

Her phone started ringing, bringing her out of her reverie. She looked down at it with a small smile and picked it up to hold it to her ear.

"Hello…Madeline…wait…slow down…"

OOO

"Madeline," she yelled as she flung the door open and rushed inside. "You said it was urgent on the phone…are you—" her voice suddenly died on her lips and she stopped dead in her tracks as she came face to face with the man who had occupied her thoughts constantly over the past few weeks.

Her mouth opened and closed as she took in his appearance, not knowing whether she should go to him or stay rooted to the spot.

"Fiona…" her name came out on a gasp as he came to her in two quick strides to engulf her in his arms.

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her body. "Michael," she gasped his name when he pulled her tighter, his lips grazing her neck.

They rocked each other, neither speaking for fear of waking from this beautiful dream. She could feel him shaking against her, his own tenuous control slipping as he turned his head to mash his lips to hers.

They clung together, kissing each other with desperation. The sounds around them suddenly disappeared into the background, the whistling of the kettle on the stove dying away leaving only the two of them.

Fiona slid her tongue over his lips, her silent plea begging for entry, which he granted almost instantly. He met her half way, his own body's reaction causing chaos throughout hers, but still she couldn't pull away from him. Their tongues duelled in a frenzied battle, both desperate to feel as much of the other as possible. Michael's hands slid over her back, his fingers stroking wherever they stopped, only to move onto somewhere else to begin the same process all over again.

After a few blissful moments, the sounds around them soon started to filter through to their senses, alerting them to their surroundings. Fiona whimpered into his mouth when he started to pull away, breaking their lips from the ecstasy she was immersed in.

Gazing up at him adoringly, she couldn't help but smile at his swollen lips, knowing that she had done that to him.

"Hi," she finally whispered, her eyes welling with emotion.

"Hi," he grinned before he pulled her into a tight embrace again, reluctant, even now to let her go.

Fiona held onto him for a few more moments before moving back slowly to frame his face with her hands.

"We've been so worried" she told him softly as she scanned his tear filled eyes. "What happened to you?"

Closing his eyes he leant his forehead to hers and slid his hands over her shoulders to pull her to him again. "It's not important now," he whispered, his lips grazing her hair.

Moving back into the circle of his arms, she rested her head beneath his chin, relishing the feel of his body next to hers. She didn't want to push, not yet.

"I started to think I'd never see you again," she told him as her voice caught in her throat.

Pulling away slightly, he inclined his head to look down into her eyes with such intensity.

"I will _never_ let that happen again," he told her softly, his hands coming up to caress her face as he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"Holy Moly!" Sam's voice boomed from the doorway with a six pack cradled in his arms. "Maddie called to say you were back, but I wasn't sure I believed her."

"Hi Sam," Michael tore his eyes away from the woman before him, giving her arm a gentle squeeze as he disengaged from her to greet his friend.

"How're you doin' brother?" Sam asked as he slapped him on the back. "Good to have you back."

"It's good to be back, Sam," Michael told him with a genuine smile.

"Anything on your burn notice? Jesse mentioned something about you being under review," Sam asked curiously, looking around the room. "Where is Jesse anyway? I thought he'd be here."

"I have no idea," Michael shook his head. "He said he had something to take care of and I didn't ask questions."

"Okay Mikey. So what happens now? We take a few jobs, just like old times?" Sam asked hopefully.

"Yeah, something like that," Michael nodded. "There's still some time to go before I'll know anything definite, so until then I'm still…" Michael's voice trailed away when he felt Fiona leave his side. Turning his eyes back to Sam, he lowered his voice "…burned."

Sam caught the longing glance that Michael gave Fiona as she walked away from him, his eyes following her as she walked into the kitchen to throw her arms around his mother, and then turned to catch his reaction.

"What's the deal with your girl and your mom?" Sam asked in a conspiring whisper. "It's kinda creepy."

His words caused Michael to tear his eyes away from the two women in the kitchen to look at his friend, offering him an incredulous smile. "Creepy?"

"Yeah…"Sam told him as he lead him over towards the table. Taking his bottle opener from his pocket, he popped the lid and handed him the beer. "Two pally women spells trouble Mikey, take it from me!"

"I don't know what to tell you Sam," Michael told him with an amused smile. Putting the bottle to his lips, he took a long sip and swallowed the bitter liquid with a satisfied gulp. "They like each other."

Sam cast a suspicious look towards the two chatting women in the kitchen and took a swig of his own beer before leaning in towards his friend. "They're in each other's pockets lately. I gotta tell you brother, it's unnerving."

Lowering his bottle back to the table, Michael turned to him in confusion. "Sam—"

Before Michael could finish, the women in question came over to the table and sat down in the two empty chairs. Fiona caught Michael's gaze again and blushed slightly. He was watching her with a look that usually ended with her laying on a flat surface somewhere.

"What are you boys whispering about over here?" Madeline beamed as she put a cigarette to her lips.

"Nothin'" Sam told her nervously. "We ain't whispering are we Mikey?"

Michael shook his head quickly. He couldn't seem to stop himself from gravitating towards Fiona's magnetic pull. All he wanted to do right now was take her back to the loft and lose himself in her.

"Your mom wants to go out to dinner," Fiona told him with a smile as she reached out to lay her hand over his under the table.

"Dinner?" he asked numbly.

"Yes, dinner," Madeline blew smoke out into the room. "I want the four of us to go out and celebrate."

"Mom…" he started to say but she cut him off again.

"I want to spend some time with my son," she told him with a whine in her voice. "You have been lord knows where for over a month!"

Michael was about to protest again when Fiona's voice interjected softly.

"Madeline, Michael must be exhausted. Why don't I take him back to the loft and let him get some sleep. We can all go out tomorrow. We'll go to any restaurant you want."

Michael's eyes grew wide as he waited for the backlash that would usually accompany a refusal to one of his mother's suggestions, but to his surprise it never came.

"You're right," she told Fiona with a smile and patted her hand. "He does look peeky."

"_Peeky?"_ Michael mouthed incredulously, but Fiona was already standing and pulling him up with her.

"He does, doesn't he?" she agreed, nodding heartily. "We'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay," Madeline smiled affectionately and grabbed Michael to encase him into a tight hug. When she pulled back she lifted her hand up to pat the side of his face before moving to Fiona to repeat the process.

Michael caught Sam's eye who was making an _"I told you so,"_ gesture, before Fiona tugged on his hand, leading him out of the door.

OOO

Fiona opened the door to the loft and waited for him to come inside before locking it behind her. On the way over here he'd kept his eyes on her the whole time, as if she was going to disappear if he looked away. Something had changed between them since Vaughn when she had ran back to his side, prepared to die with him. There was something in her heart that tried to make her see that something had changed within him, but she dared not allow herself to hope.

She was just about to tell him why her belongings were piled just inside the door when his lips met hers, stealing the words from her. She returned his kiss with a forceful one of her own, meeting his tongue with equal vigour. Their hands raked over each other with blind possession as he backed her up against the closed door. "I've missed you," he groaned, pulling his lips away briefly to hover over hers.

"Me too," she whispered softly as she lifted her arms to accommodate his roaming hands that had somehow found their way beneath her t-shirt.

"Fiona…" he breathed, his groan sighing her name as his lips trailed open mouthed kisses down her throat. She moved for him, angling her head so that he could worship her skin only to whimper slightly when he forcefully stepped away from her to turn them around, walking her backwards towards the bed…

Moonlight illuminated a silvery glow over the entwined couple in the bed. Michael had fallen into an exhausted sleep a long time ago, but Fiona lay awake, listening to the beat of his heart beneath her ear.

His time away had changed him; she could feel it in every touch of his hands as they roamed over her body. His lips had worshipped hers, his kisses a gentle drug that caused her heart to accept the flow of love that he'd poured into her. She couldn't ever remember a time when he had made love to her with such adoration, and now more than ever, she was more than convinced that he did indeed love her.

Closing her eyes she slid her fingers over his torso and breathed in the scent of him. Her love for him ran deep, maybe deeper than he'd ever know. He was the other half of her, always had been, even when they'd spent years apart. His leaving her in Ireland couldn't even stop that. They were bound together in so many ways that she couldn't even begin to count them.

He breathed in deeply beside her and turned in his sleep to instinctively pull her closer. She rolled onto her side and spooned against him to lace her fingers with his over her bare stomach. Taking a deep contented breath, she let herself relax against him when he kissed her shoulder in his sleep. As she drifted off into blissful slumber, her last thoughts were of how right this felt.

OOO

Sunlight was streaming through the windows when Michael awoke a few hours later. Turning onto his side, his hand slid across the bed, expecting to come into contact with Fiona's warm body. When he was met with cool sheet's he lifted his head and looked around to see her putting several guns back together on the workbench.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he pulled himself up and grabbed his pants from the floor. Slipping them on he stood up and stretched, his body aching in sweet protest against the wonderful ministrations she had created over his body.

In his entire life he had never felt this way. Yes he had been in love before, but this, what he shared with her went down so deep that he didn't think he would ever be able to survive without her. Their separation had proven only one thing to him over these last few weeks; he missed her, more than he ever thought he would.

"Hey," she beamed as he came to her, her smile weakening his knees. His eyes gazed over her body in appreciation. She was wearing his discarded shirt, held together with one button that left nothing to the imagination, and very little else beneath it.

"You know," he sighed as he moved behind her to pull her back against his chest and wrapping his arms around her, "for a second there I thought this was all a dream."

Fiona leaned back into him and slid her hands over his, inclining her head so she could look into his eyes. "No dream," she smiled. "I'm here."

Smiling down at her, he turned her in his arms and leaned forward to press his lips to hers, sealing them together. Fiona sighed against his lips as her hands moved up his chest and around his shoulders. Pulling him closer she opened her mouth under his, her passionate coaxing causing his knees to almost buckle beneath him.

With a groan he deepened their kiss into a soul shattering expression of how much he loved her. His lips left hers to travel to her neck, placing soft kisses over her skin. She leaned back, giving him better access to her throat as her hands clawed at his back, holding him to her desperately as he brought a wave of passion to surge throughout her body.

"Michael," she gasped as his hands snaked under the shirt to take possession of the skin beneath. Reaching down she fumbled with his pants, desperate to feel all of him against her as she removed the cloth barrier between them.

She tore her lips from his to throw her head back in a strangled gasp as he tormented her with his touch, his fingers causing her to lose control over her already teetering passion. Fiona's eyes fluttered closed as he caused wave after wave of erotic ripples to flow throughout her body. She was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe, and blindly reached for him, her hands encircling around his flesh, creating a little friction of her own.

Michael shuddered against her, his concentration shattering around him as she leaned forward to mash her mouth to his in a passionately charged, powerful kiss. The need to feel him inside her became almost too much to bear, her body having its own possessive power over his.

Shifting slightly he lifted her onto the work bench and pulled her closer as she guided him inside her, meeting him half way as they once again joined their hearts and souls, losing themselves in their kiss and each other.

Fiona clung to him desperately as he brought her closer and closer to oblivion; taking everything he gave her only to return it in wholehearted surrender.

When they both tumbled over the edge they held onto each other, wrapped in each others arms as the tremors subsided throughout them. Their lips met again, each kiss symbolizing a thousand different ways to say I love you.

Withdrawing her lips from his, she smiled as she leaned her forehead against his. Their ragged breaths slowly easing away as he slid out of her body and pulled her into a powerful embrace. Without her he was only half a man, someone who couldn't focus if she wasn't with him.

Fiona's cell phone vibrated on the metal bench top beside them, and Michael buried his face into her shoulder with a groan. Fiona chuckled as she reached behind her to pick it up to look at the caller ID.

"Your mom," she told him with a smile as she placed it back onto the bench to bring her hands up to his head to thread her fingers through his hair.

"We promised to call," his voice muffled against her neck. "If we don't…"

"I know," she laughed as she forced his head up so she could look into his eyes. "She'll only come over here if we don't."

Her words brought him out of his post coital haze and he suddenly pulled away from her to adjust his pants. Having his mother walking in on them wasn't high on his list of priorities, but when he caught Fiona's eyes, he couldn't help but laugh along with her.

Sliding down from the cabinet, Fiona pushed him away from her with a rueful smile and turned him around to usher him out of the kitchen.

"Go…Get dressed." Her eyes travelled over to the workbench that she and Michael had just christened and a warm blush travelled over her cheeks. She doubted either one of them would ever see it in the same way again.

OOO

It wasn't until they were in Fiona's car on their way over to his mother's house, that Michael finally asked the burning question he'd wanted to ask as soon as he'd caught his toe on one of the boxes by the door.

"So, you moved your stuff in?" he asked teasingly, smiling when her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"It's only temporary Michael," she told him with a sigh. "Until I can find a new apartment."

"Okay," he told her, his mind wandering thoughtfully. "Where are the rest of your things? I thought you'd move all of it."

"That _is_ all of it," she told him with a sigh. "That's all I could salvage from my old place. While you were gone Sam helped me go through the wreckage. I managed to save a few photos and trinkets, so I boxed them up and took them to the loft."

Michael clenched his jaw thoughtfully. He hadn't had time to think about anything that happened before their gunfight with Vaughn. He hadn't even thought about what Jesse had destroyed when he blew up Fiona's apartment, but now seeing her brush it off like she always did, he knew more than ever that he had to make a lot of things up to her.

"Leave your stuff where it is," he told her with a smile, hoping she would understand the meaning behind his words. "We'll make room."

Fiona pulled the car to a stop outside his mother's house before turning to look at him with a questioning gaze.

"Michael…we still haven't talked about your burn notice…what…?"

"We'll talk about it later," he told her with a smile as he reached out to squeeze her hand.

"But…"

"Later Fi."

Fiona was dumbstruck, had that just happened? She opened her door and climbed out to join him on the sidewalk, trying to calm the thudding of her heartbeat in her chest. Had he just asked her to move in?

Blinking up at him with wide eyes, she shook her head to clear her wandering mind and looked down at his offered hand, another new thing about him. Since his return he constantly wanted to touch her... Linking her hand in his, she couldn't help but smile to herself; they were acting like a couple for the first time since Ireland.

The sound of Sam's voice greeted them as they entered the house, his insistent denial drowned out by Madeline's stern voice.

"That is my grandchild," she told him as she grabbed the grainy photo out of his hands to slot it into one of the photo frames on the wall. "It is not a—"

Her voice trailed off when she caught sight of her son and Fiona walking into the house and she couldn't help but beam a smile in their direction.

"There you _are_," she told them as she blew a plume of smoke into the air. "What took you so long?"

"Yeah Mikey," Sam grumbled. "She was getting antsy."

"I was not," she shot him an annoyed glance before stubbing her cigarette out into an ashtray. Turning to Michael she pulled him into a reluctant hug, squeezing him tight to her before doing the same to the woman beside him.

"I'm glad you're both here," she told them with a bright smile. "You're right on time. Michael, the dishwasher is making a terrible noise can you take a look at it?"

Michael stared at her and shook his head as his eyes caught Sam's bemused grin. He glanced at Fiona who shrugged her shoulders in amusement before turning towards his mother; he guessed some things would never change.

"Okay ma," he sighed when she dragged him and Sam over to the machine in question, babbling about how her hands cracked with the dishwashing detergent.

Fiona wasn't listening to their comical tirade, instead her eyes had gravitated towards the small grainy sonogram photo that Madeline had tucked into the photo frame, and drew in a sharp breath. Turning away from it she swallowed the burning in her throat and moved into the kitchen to join the banter taking place between the three people that she loved most in the world, pushing the photo and the memories to the far reaches of her mind…

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for all of your reviews, private messages and story adds. I am very humbled by your welcome into the Burn Notice fandom.**

**Thank you to Purdy's Pal and Daisyday for the continued support, and to my fabulous niece Kelly. She has had to read all the different re-writes of this chapter without complaining once. You're a star!**

**There will be one more chapter after this. More of an epilogue. Thanks you so much for reading.**

3

The meal out with his mother and Sam had been uneventful, and he was pretty sure that Fiona had a good time. But even though she smiled and laughed along with the rest of them, he knew her well enough to know that there was something bothering her. But with Fiona being so strong and independent, he knew from past experience that forcing her to talk about her problems often lead to her taking out her frustrations with C-4.

They were stood side by side in the loft at the kitchen counter sharing a blueberry Yogurt, when he voiced his concern.

"Are you okay?"

Fiona was mid way through holding a spoon loaded with Yogurt up to his mouth when his words stopped her movements, her hand stilling in mid air.

She was frozen for a few small moments; her eyes flaring with emotion, before she replaced the spoon back into the half empty pot and turned to meet his questioning gaze. Her lips turned up into a reassuring smile as she reached up to lay the palm of her hand over his cheek, searching his eyes.

"I'm fine, why?"

"You seemed a little distracted tonight," he told her as he covered her hand with his. Keeping the contact for a few more moments he slowly pulled it away to place a small kiss into her palm before releasing her.

Fiona blushed when she felt the sudden rush of excitement soar through her when his lips touched her skin. She wasn't used to these displays of love from him. Before he had left he would only walk by her side, but never touch her. He would allow his hand to brush over the small of her back, but never let it rest there. Sometimes when they walked together down the street she had often wondered if he was just keeping his distance because he knew he would never be able to commit to her. But now, it seemed, everything had changed.

"I'm just trying to get used to the new you," she told him, hoping he wouldn't see through her facade. "I'm not used to all this attention."

He nodded solemnly; knowing that telling her to go her own way at the abandoned hotel had caused an immeasurable amount of pain to them both.

"I said some things…"

"It doesn't matter," she told him quickly as she took both of his hands in hers. "We both said things we didn't mean…it was…a stressing time…"

"I'm sorry, Fi," his voice caught in his throat when he saw how bright her eyes had become. "I'm trying to show you how much I've changed…how you have changed me."

Fiona's eyes welled with tears when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. "I see it, Michael," she told him as she brought their joined hands up to her lips to kiss his fingers. "I want you to be happy."

"I _am_ happy," he told her with a smile, squeezing her fingers gently.

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I wasn't fair on you either…I know getting your old job back is everything to you…"

"Not everything…"

"I know," she sighed. "But I never want you to look back one day and hate me because I asked for things that you couldn't give me."

"I've never hated you," his voice was soft as he squeezed her hands in his. "I'm so sorry that I made you think I did."

Fiona swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down at their joined hands.

"I'm really sorry too," she whispered as the words caught in her throat. "But…"

"It's in the past," he told her gently as he dropped her hands to pull her into a tight embrace, his lips placing soft kisses into her hair. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Michael…" her voice faltered as she leaned into his chest, relishing the feel of his arms around her. "Before, when you said I could keep my stuff here…" Moving back slightly she lifted her head to meet his gaze. "What did you mean by that?"

Michael's hands caressed her back as he trailed his fingers up to her shoulders and down her arms.

"I…I'm no good at this relationship stuff, Fi," he told her with an awkward smile. "All I know is that the last few weeks away from you have been hard…I just thought…"

His voice trailed away and she moved her hands up and over his chest to encircle her fingers behind his neck. Leaning closer, she reached up to press a soft kiss to his lips before pulling away to gaze up at him.

"You're better at this than you think," she told him, her fingers playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck. "And if you asked me what I think you asked me…then…yes."

Michael's breath caught in his throat and his eyes grew wide. He struggled to find his voice as he visibly gulped, "Uh…_Yes?"_

Fiona's lips turned up into a bright smile at his adorable face. Shaking her head she released her hold on him and stepped away, chuckling softly at his panicked expression.

"Not _that,"_ she beamed. "I meant _me_ staying _here_, with _you_."

Michael released the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding and returned her smile. "Oh, yeah…" he laughed shakily. "I thought you meant…"

"Oh _please,_ Michael," she told him, waving her hand in the air dismissively. Stepping away from him she picked up the Yogurt pot to scoop up a heaped spoonful and held it up to his lips enticingly.

"You couldn't _handle _being married to me!"

0000

A few hours later, Michael lifted some charred photos out of one of Fiona's boxes on the bed and examined them closely. On one he could clearly make out Fiona's mother, but parts of the photo had blistered with the heat from the fire.

"I told you they were bad," Fiona declared, flopping down into the green chair beside the bed with a heavy sigh. "I should have tossed them in the trash…but, I guess I'm sentimental."

"Don't do that, Fi," he told her sincerely. Reaching into the box he pulled out some more damaged photos. "You're entitled to be angry."

"I'm beyond angry, Michael," she sighed. "They're just memories that's all, of the life I left behind…"

Michael's hands stilled and he looked up to meet her sorrow filled eyes. "Do you miss it?"

She leaned forward to take one of the photos from his hands and looked down at it. Lifting one of her fingers, she traced the outline of her mothers face before swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Not as much as I used to," she told him honestly as she met him with a watery gaze. "My life is with you now. It has been since the day we met."

"Fi," his voice came out in a whisper as he tried desperately to convey to her that his life was so much better now that she was with him, but she wouldn't meet his gaze.

Her eyes dropped back to the photo in her hands. "I think even after you left she knew you were someone that I just couldn't let go."

Her words caused Michael's heart to thud loudly inside his chest. She had just admitted something that he had always known but tried to deny; they were totally committed to one another. Even after they had taken each other to hell and back again, she was the only woman he had ever felt this connected to.

Reaching for her hands, he took the photos from her and placed them back into the box along with the ones he'd been holding. Turning back towards her, he gave her a gentle tug and pulled her out of the chair and into his lap to wrap his arms around her waist.

Fiona stayed within his arms for a few precious moments before she turned in his lap, straddling his thighs to face him. She lifted her hands to frame his face and pulled his head closer to hers.

"My place is here, by your side," she searched his eyes as she spoke, hoping that he would understand that she had always chosen him above all else. "Michael…I…"

He stole the words from her lips as he snapped forward to claim her, his mouth covering hers. She whimpered softly as he pulled her closer to his body, his aching touch igniting fires inside her. Opening her mouth against his, she ran her tongue across his lips begging for entry, which he readily granted. Tongues met, brushing together as their hands adored each other with trembling fingers.

Fiona tore her lips from his with a gasp as she tried to catch her breath. Their eyes linked once again and an eternity of emotions passed between them. Reaching for her hand, Michael clasped her fingers, bringing them to his lips. He gazed upon her with such intensity that she felt her heart race inside her chest. She couldn't ever remember a time when he had looked upon her with something akin to a promise of forever in his eyes.

Leaning towards him, she placed a soft kiss on the underside of his chin before trailing a path of butterfly kisses down his throat, to linger over his Adams apple. The sheer intimacy of this moment caused so many words to simmer inside her mind, but she couldn't think of a single thing to say right now. All she wanted to do was feel him. She needed his reassurance that this turning point in their relationship wouldn't dissolve when she unburdened her secret of their lost child.

Feeling her heated kisses on his skin, Michael could feel the intensity in every touch she empowered over his body and he felt himself starting to shake slightly. He met her with his own powerful caresses as he slid his hands around her back to hold her closer to him, his own exploring kisses begging to be joined once again with her. She could sense him, his desperate need for her aching into her own body and she felt herself surrender to his touch. Lifting her head, she caught his lips with her own, kissing him with something bordering near desperation. Pulling him closer, she groaned into his mouth as he slipped his tongue into her depths, causing her whole body to ignite.

A sudden need exploded within her and she tore her mouth from his. Reaching up her hands to cradle his face, she held him in her gaze memorizing every feature. She watched him as he opened his eyes to gaze into hers, their shining love a guiding light for the truth she knew she needed to tell him. She could see the love he held in his depths, yet she still couldn't keep the underlying sorrow from veiling her heart.

"Fi, what's wrong?" he asked softly, his concern bringing a pool of tears to well inside her eyes. Shifting forward, he covered her hand on his face with his own. For a few breathtaking moments he fought to understand why she was crying.

Fiona felt a soft sob escape her throat as she shook her head and lifted herself up so she could meet his lips again. She kissed him with an intensity neither of them had known before, and he willingly sank into her arms to let her take control of their lovemaking. He felt the desperate need she showered over him with every single touch. Every kiss of her lips brought a new wave of desire to mingle breathlessly with the sorrow she felt inside.

When Fiona hooked his legs and pushed him backwards so that he was laying flat on the mattress, she loomed above him. He allowed his hands to fall back onto the bed, his willing surrender proving to her that she was all he ever wanted.

She watched his eyes flutter closed as she slipped her hands beneath his shirt, her nails raking sensually over his skin. With every sigh that escaped his lips another salty droplet fell down her cheeks until her soft sobs caused him to open his eyes to gaze upon her with concern.

Lifting his hands to her face, he wiped the tears away with his fingers and gently stroked her lips with his thumb. Fiona leant against his palm, as more tears came to cascade over his fingers. Swallowing hard, she kissed the tip of his thumb before sitting back in his lap. "I'm so sorry," she whispered shakily.

"Fiona?" he asked worriedly as the burning passion from moments ago dimmed to mere embers as he struggled to understand. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Her breath caught on a sob as she scrambled off of him to sit on the edge of the bed and covered her face with her hands, weeping quietly. She never wanted to cry in front of him, but she couldn't stop the aching sorrow from spilling over onto her cheeks. She felt the bed shift beside her and waited for the inevitable questions, but they never came. Instead she felt his closeness and the warmth of his hand seeping into her shoulders.

His concern only caused more tears to fall as she fought to find the right words. Taking a shuddering breath, she swallowed the burning in her throat and tried to keep her voice from shaking.

"I…" her voice caught in her throat as she fought to find the right words. "I…have to tell…you something…"

Michael lifted his hand to comb his fingers through her hair, moving the errant strands away from her eyes. He waited patiently until she was ready to speak again, keeping his body close to hers.

"Back home…in Ireland…before you left…" her voice cracked as she spoke, causing him to pull her closer. She leaned into him for a small moment before she pulled back slightly to chance a look into his eyes before averting them again. "…If it had been your choice, would you have stayed?"

"Fiona…" he reached out to take a hold of her hands, seeking to offer her some comfort with his touch, but she leapt away from him to stand beside the bed. Fear sparked in his eyes when he saw her looking so vulnerable. In all the years he had known her he could count on one hand the times he had seen her looking so lost. It scared him. "More than anything," he told her, his voice shaking as he spoke.

"Then why didn't you stay?" Her voice was quivering and he fought to comprehend what was happening.

"You know I couldn't…my cover was blown," he told her, imploring her to understand.

"Your damn cover…" she moaned, frustration in her voice as she started to pace before him, tears streaming unchecked down her face. "Which one of you loved me? You or him?"

"Fiona…I'm him…" Michael was confused. She was like a ticking time bomb, loving him one moment and incensed the next. He struggled to cast his mind back to the day he had to leave her, but he'd buried the memory so deep…

"Why are we talking about this now? It was so long ago—"

"Because I was pregnant!" She yelled in a sudden burst of anger that died away just as quickly. Turning away from him she wrapped her arms around her stomach, sobs wracking her trembling body.

Michael was stunned. His heart hammered inside his chest and his breath caught in his throat. Fiona's sobs faded into the background as his mind shut down…he was a father?

Sudden fear flared inside him but soon diminished as her sobs reached out to him. He was so confused, how could he be so afraid one moment and wanting to comfort her the next? Without hesitation he went to her, pulling her shaking body into his arms, whispering over and over that it would be okay.

"I'm so…sorry…if I hadn't seen Ruth's sonogram…" she sobbed into his chest, her fingers grabbing a handful of his shirt. "I'm…so sorry…"

Michael held onto her, pulling her tighter into him until her sobs began to die away to soft whimpers. His own eyes betrayed him when he couldn't stop tears from spilling over onto his cheeks. He kissed her hair and rocked her back and forth, keeping her within his arms until they could both control their ragged breathing.

They were quiet for a long time, clinging to each other until Fiona lifted one of her hands to swipe at her eyes, before leaning against his chest again. Slowly he walked them backwards towards the bed and sat them both down, keeping his arms around her.

"I…lost it," she whimpered, sniffing back the onslaught of fresh tears.

"I should never have left you," he whispered brokenly, pulling her closer

"But you did," her voice cracked as she struggled to remain in control but failed miserably as tears seeped into his shirt. "I lost our baby…in…a dark…alley…and I didn't know…what to…do…"

"Oh Fi…" his voice caught on a sob, his eyes stinging with tears at the loss of a child he never knew. All he wanted to do was wrap her up in his arms and hold her to him forever, anything to take away her pain.

"There was…so much…blood," her voice shook as she spoke and she squeezed her eyes shut to try and push the memories away. "I…had to wait until it stopped…and after…"

"Shh," he whispered into her hair, trying not to let her hear the catch in his voice. "I should have been with you," he told her brokenly. "I should have refused to leave you, or taken you with me…" Closing his eyes against another wave of grief, he placed soft kisses into her hair before pulling back to look into her face.

She was a mess, her hair sticking to her flushed face and her eyes red and puffy, but he had never loved her more than in that moment.

Fiona wouldn't meet his eyes, instead looking down at their joined hands. "No one knew," she whispered tearfully. "I didn't tell anyone…I couldn't risk it…" Shaking her head she reached up to rid her face of fresh tears before chancing a brief look at his eyes, and then just as quickly tore them away. "I don't even know how far along I was."

"Fi, look at me," he told her as he tried to coax her eyes to his. "Fiona…please..."

When she heard the catch in his voice she lifted her eyes to his. A singe tear spilled over onto her cheeks and when he reached up to wipe it away with his thumb, she leant her face into the palm of his hand.

"I'm sorry," she told him through a haze of sorrow. "I wanted to tell you…I just didn't know how…"

"I would have wanted the baby," he told her softly. "You believe that, don't you?"

Nodding, she reached up to place a soft kiss onto his lips before sitting back to look at his emotion filled eyes. "Your mom said the same thing to me when you were gone."

"My mom knows?" he asked, unable to hide the hurt from his voice. "She knew before I did?"

"It wasn't like that Michael," she sighed as an errant tear made a wet track down her cheek. "She was talking to Nate about the baby and I'd been drinking. I was missing you, I was worried…I didn't even realise I'd said anything until she challenged me."

"How did she take it?" he reached for her hand again and wrapped his fingers around hers.

"She's been my rock," she told him with a sad smile. "She helped me cope, because I haven't been doing that too well lately."

"I did notice, Fi," he told her quietly. "I do see you, even though sometimes it may seem to you that I don't…I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what."

"I'm sorry," she told him again, shaking her head. "I thought…I don't know what I thought…"

"It's going to be okay," he told her as he placed a soft kiss onto her forehead.

"Michael, can I ask you something?" she asked, her voice no more than a whisper.

"Anything," he nodded as he ran his fingers over her arm.

"If I had found out about the baby before," she asked softly. "Would you still have left?"

"I did had to leave," he told her as he shifted slightly to bring his hands up to caress her face. Gazing down at her he leant forward and placed soft kisses over her tear soaked eyes. "But I would have taken both of you with me."

For the first time since she'd told him about their loss, she felt some of the sadness leave her heart. Leaning into his chest again, she sought out the comfort of his body.

"What happens now, with us?"

Michael was silent for a short moment as his fingers stroked soothing circles over her shoulders. He never thought that he could feel so hopeless and elated at the same time. He pressed his lips into her hair and breathed in the scent of her shampoo. There was only one response and he suddenly realised that it had always been the only answer. It had been her all along.

"We get through this…together, and _next time_, I'll be here with you."

"Next time?" she asked, biting her bottom lip as she focused on the buttons of his shirt. "I know you don't want that life, Michael. You want your old job back…I'm not kidding myself, I know as soon as you get back in that you'll be off to lord knows where and leave me behind… "

"Fiona." Bending slightly he pushed her back so that he could see her eyes, he searched her depths hoping that she could see how much this news had affected him. "Why does everyone assume that I don't want this life with you?"

Fiona's breath caught in her throat as she fixed him with a heartbreaking gaze. "Because you told me being a spy was what you were made for and I should want it for you…you told me that yourself, Michael…are you telling me you've changed your mind?"

"I thought my old life was what I wanted," he told her honestly. "But being with you has changed me in ways I never thought possible. You stood by me when I was first burned. You supported me even though you disagreed with my choices…" Taking her hands in his again, he brought them up to his lips and kissed her knuckles, "You wouldn't let me die alone and you just told me that I was going to be a father…I never thought I would have that Fi…"

"What if I can't give you that again?" she asked him, her voice a mere whisper. "Everyone knew me in Ireland, I had to pay a back street doctor to check me over, but all he did was tell me to rest…I paid a small fortune to be told that…"

"We'll cross that bridge when we're ready okay," he told her with a reassuring smile. "But you are going to get checked out." Standing up, he pulled her up with him and wrapped her in his arms again before gently moving her away.

"I don't need checking," she told him insistently. "I'm fine."

"I'm not saying right now."

"Michael, I'm fine," she told him as he pulled her by the hand towards the door. "Wait…where are we going?"

"It's time we brought some new stuff for this place," he told her with a smile. "You know, make it ours…Anything you want."

"But, I look awful, I can't go out like this…"

He stopped to look back at her and moved to place his hand on her cheek. "You're beautiful."

Fiona opened her mouth to speak but she was lost for words. "Michael…"

"I know Fi, " he told her as he leant over to press a soft kiss to her lips. "Me too."

"Can we stay here for a while," she asked softly as she lifted one of her hands to touch his face. "Can it be just us?"

"Just us?" he asked as he covered her hand with his and turned his face to place a soft kiss into her palm, something he had been doing a lot of lately, before taking her hand to lead her back towards the bed.

Easing her down onto the mattress, he sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down at her before placing a soft kiss onto her lips. Lying down beside her he pulled her into his arms and felt her snuggle her body closer until her head was nestled on his chest.

"Fi?" he asked softly when she settled against him.

"Hmmm?"

"You know I love you…don't you?"

Her hand stilled on his chest and she shifted so that she could see his eyes. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright and he thought she had never looked more beautiful.

"I do," she told him with a bright smile as she leaned up on one elbow to tower over him. "I love you too."

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

**Once again thank you for all of your reviews, story adds and PM's. I appreciate every one.**

**I did intend finishing this story here, but it went on a little longer once I'd put everything in it that I wanted. So the final chapter will be ready next week some time.**

**As always, huge thanks to Purdys Pal and DaisyDay for being my sounding board, and to Kelly for her constant support.**

**5**

Fiona turned in her sleep, taking most of the covers with her, exposing Michael's naked body. He looked over at her cocooned in the nice warm sheets and smiled sleepily. For someone so tiny she took up a lot of their king sized bed. Shifting nearer, he held her close to him, managing to partly cover his rear with the edge of the sheet that she'd neglected to wrap around herself.

Leaning over, Michael placed a soft kiss onto her forehead and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly within the circle of his arms. He gazed at her for a long time, content to watch her sleep. Since she had told him about their child, he was overcome with a burning desire to protect her. His job, the burn notice, and the truth he had been seeking for so long, they all paled in comparison to her.

When she shifted again to roll out of his arms, Michael moved away from her slowly to climb out of bed. Pulling on his jeans he turned back to glance at her sleeping form. She was captivating, even in slumber. Moving towards her he bent down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, then stood back to regard her beautiful face. So many feelings were rampaging inside him right at this moment that sometimes he didn't know where she ended and he began. He smiled down at her sleeping form before leaving their bed and headed towards the balcony to sit down in one of the chairs.

The sun was just starting to come up and the birds were chirping in the trees. For the first time since he had returned to Miami, he actually felt like he was right where he was supposed to be. It wasn't just the fact that he had finally allowed himself to think that the family dream was possible. It was more than that. Now he wanted it all, the wife, the kids, the white picket fence, the job…everything.

His thoughts were interrupted some time later when Fiona came up behind him to wrap her arms around his shoulders and placed a kiss on his temple.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" She asked softly as she moved around the chair to position herself on his lap and slip her arms around his torso. She leaned into him and hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his unbuttoned jeans, feeling the heat of his skin against her fingers. When his arms came up and around her shoulders, pulling her tight to his body, she sighed contentedly as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm just thinking things over, that's all," he told her with a smile as he placed a soft kiss onto her cheek.

Sitting up slightly so that she could look into his eyes, she leaned forward to press a tender kiss to his lips before fixing him with a steady gaze.

"You know I'll support any decision you make, right?"

"Fi…"

"No," she sighed. "Let me say this, okay…" Lifting one of her hands she traced the scar on his face with her fingers before drawing back again to gaze into his eyes. "If your job is the thing you need to focus on right now, then I'll stand by you, okay…I may not like it, but I want you to do whatever makes you happy."

Michael's eyes flared with emotion when he saw how much she meant those words, and for a moment, he was totally speechless.

"I want _you_," he told her sincerely, his voice no more than a whisper as he manoeuvred her around so that she straddled his thighs, facing him. "_You_ make me happy."

She leaned her forehead against his and smiled down at him with a watery gaze. "You make me happy too,"

"It's always been you Fi," he told her as he lifted his hands up to frame her face. "I _do_ love you, I always have."

The smile that graced her face almost shattered his heart; opening him up to every emotion he had ever felt before..

"Michael" she told him tenderly, placing a kiss onto his forehead, "I'll never get tired of hearing you telling me that."

"I'd tell you every day if it means I can keep you with me," he told her with a coy smile. "Just don't tell anyone I said that, _okay_?"

"You know I wouldn't," she told him, her voice softening as her lips trailed across his cheek to stop a breath away from his mouth, hovering above him enticingly.

"You tell me every time you look at me. I left Ireland and my family to be with you," her lips touched his in a delicate kiss before moving away again to gaze into his eyes. "I would do it all over again."

"Fi," he whispered against her lips as she caught him again, sealing eternity into their kiss.

Fiona's heart thumped wildly in her chest, his kiss igniting her from the inside out. Dipping her head to press her lips to his, she sank into his body as all rational thoughts scattered into the cool breeze encircling their bodies.

Michael groaned into her mouth desperate to deepen their kiss, needing to feel more of her. She willingly complied, opening her mouth above his, plunging her tongue into his warm depths making him groan with desire.

Fiona's heart was racing wildly. She could feel his arousal beneath her body, flaring her own passion as she started to pull backwards taking his hands and mouth with her, sitting them up so she could wrap her legs behind him to increase their contact.

Michael tore his lips away from hers, gasping for breath. His eyes swam in passion, wanting more than anything to make love to her.

"Fi…" he gasped when her fingers raked over his bare chest and she ground against him.

Leaning closer to him, she started to place tiny kisses over his forehead, knowing that he couldn't resist her quiet seduction. Inclining her head slightly, she moved to accommodate him so he could trail hot kisses down her neck. Her whole body seemed to shake as she surrendered to him completely as his hands wandered over her body to find their way beneath the unbuttoned shirt she wore.

"Michael" she gasped, throwing her head backwards as her hands came to his, guiding him over her soft flesh. Her body was on fire with his touch, the cool breeze only helping to flare her growing desire as she abandoned all sense of how they shouldn't be doing this, not here in the open. All protesting thoughts scattered in a thousand different directions, disappearing into the breeze along with any coherent thoughts as she gave in to his body, willingly following him as she moved to guide him into her body.

A soft groan escaped her lips as he moved beneath her, gazing at her with pure love in his eyes.

Muttered groans and whimpered words followed as they moved as one, taking each other to the brink of heaven before slowly being released to fall slowly back down to earth.

Michael leaned into her body as she gasped out his name in release, holding onto her until her shaking began to subside. His heart ached with love for her. Never in his life had a woman driven him to this extreme passionate haze he seemed to be permanently in. Floating back into awareness, he heard her say his name with such love he almost gasped with the intensity of his feelings. Holding her close to him, he delighted in the sweet sensations of her warm half naked body leaning into his, slick and sated.

"Michael," she whispered into his neck, her lips caressing him as she began kissing the soft flesh until her pulse rate began to return to some kind of normality. She loved this man so much that it scared her.

"I know," he told her softly, as he brought her head up to his so he could see her eyes. "I know…"

Neither could seem to draw away, their bodies still reacting to each other even now, needing physical contact.

His hand came up to trail his fingers across her face, loving every inch of her with his touch before his lips followed where his fingers burned, to finally catch her lips again in one of the most loving kisses they had ever shared.

Fiona fell into his kiss with total abandonment, willingly letting him control her senses as he loved her, showing her with his touch that she was his.

A few minutes later they finally untangled themselves from each other, both reluctant to let go and lose precious contact.

"Are you okay?" he asked tenderly, his lips trailing gentle kisses down her cheek.

"Do you really have to ask?" she grinned; moving her arms to loop around his neck as she languishly stretched her body into his. They pressed together again, lingering in their intimate embrace.

"I think we should move back inside," he sighed reluctantly, his mouth groaning into her neck. He tried to will himself away from her warm arms, but he was finding it increasingly difficult.

"Just a little longer," she smiled as she brought her fingers to comb sensuously through his hair. "I want to stay with you."

"You are with me," he smiled as he lifted his head to look into her eyes. The second he saw her he was lost once more in the depth of love in her gaze, filling his heart with so many emotions he didn't think he would ever comprehend how he had become so lucky to have her in his life.

She was just about to answer when they heard the heavy metal gate creak open, scraping along the concrete floor.

"Oh crap," Michael groaned as he hurriedly lifted her off of his lap. "I forgot Sam was coming over."

She beamed a smile at him as he tried to fasten his jeans but his fingers wouldn't seem to work. Stepping closer, her hands danced over the buttons as she lowered her voice into a seductive whisper. "_I can do that for you_."

Michael gulped heavily and forced himself to step away from her, his body already reacting to her touch. He manoeuvred himself around her, trailing his fingers over her arms as he passed. "I…I'll get the door!"

"Wait!" She stopped him and he turned around to look at her questioningly as she pointed in the general direction of her open shirt. "Can I just button this first?"

Sam banged on the door, yelling out Michael's name before banging again impatiently. Michael's mouth opened and closed, his words sticking in his throat. He was torn between wanting to rip the shirt from her body and going to open the door.

"Go," she grinned at him before she pulled the material closed, holding it together with her fingers. "I'm going for a shower…better let him in before he breaks down the door!"

Michael watched her longingly as she sauntered away before he gathered his composure and made his way to the door.

"What took you so long?" Sam asked with a groan as he pushed past Michael. "It's hotter than hell out here!"

"Uh…I…"

Sam ignored him and walked towards the refrigerator to pull out a beer. Popping off the cap, he took a long swig and swallowed with a satisfied gulp. "That hits the spot."

Michael shook his head and laughed as he moved behind Sam and into the kitchen. Reaching for the kettle he clicked it on and turned back around to lean his bare back against the kitchen counter.

"So," Sam asked curiously, waving his half empty bottle in Michael's direction. "What's going on with your mom and Fiona these days. I don't think I've ever seen them so…clingy."

"_Clingy_?" Michael asked, casting him with an amused smile. "They're not clingy!"

"Sure they're not," Sam nodded, taking another long swig of beer.

"Look Sam," Michael started as he looked for any signs on Fiona. When he didn't see her he leaned forwards onto the counter top and rested on his elbows. "I didn't have a chance to thank you…you know, for looking out for her and my mom."

"Well you know Fi, she's not the looking after type," Sam told him but nodded anyway. "Anytime Mike."

"I appreciate it, Sam. She told me you helped her go through what was left of her old place." Michael told him as he turned to take two mugs out of the cupboard and reach for the coffee. "And I do know my mom and Fi have been spending a lot of time together."

"In each other's pockets," Sam told him dubiously. "That's never a good thing my friend."

"It is this time," Michael told him quietly as he turned around to face the older man. "My mom has been helping Fiona through something…"

"Really?"

"Yeah…I…she told me something last night that's changed everything. It's made me realise what I put her through."

"And this thing…It's bad?" Sam asked worriedly as he watched the colour drain from Michael's face.

"I…I was going to be a father…" Michael told him reflectively, not noticing his friend's stunned expression. "Back in Ireland… She was pregnant but I left before she could tell me."

"Fiona?" Sam asked, even though he already knew the answer. He could see the well of emotions in the younger man's eyes, something he'd only seen on rare occasions. "Mike, what happened?"

Michael swallowed hard and met his friends eyes, his voice etched in sadness. "She lost the baby…she went through all of it alone, Sam…"

"I'm sorry to hear that Mikey, I really am…And, your mom knows?"

"Yeah…" Michael sighed heavily as he turned back to the kettle to pour boiling water into the coffee mugs.

"So, are you two okay?" Sam asked cautiously. "That's one hell of a bombshell dropped on you when you're just getting your life back."

"We're good," Michael's eyes lit up as he looked over Sam's shoulder to see Fiona coming back, fresh from her shower.

Sam turned to see what had Michael so distracted and instantly felt like a third wheel. The look they gave each other was enough to melt the paint off the walls, and he suddenly felt the atmosphere in the room shift.

"Hi Sam," Fiona's voice echoed through the loft as she came through to the kitchen wearing a short white sundress. She beamed a smile in his direction before walking up to Michael to stand beside him.

"I thought you might need these," her eyes flashed with desire as she handed him a dark blue polo shirt and a pair of his shoes.

"Thanks," he smiled, taking the shirt from her hands to pull it quickly over his head to cover his bare chest.

"Well as much as I like seeing you half naked," she told him, her voice low and sultry, "it's a little _distracting_." They watched each other with a heated gaze as she handed him one of his shoes and watched him slip it onto his foot before handing him the other one.

"So…uh…are you kids about finished?" Sam asked, his voice caught between sarcasm and embarrassment. "You're kinda making me blush!"

Michael forcefully stepped away from Fiona but not before allowing his fingers to brush over her bare shoulders.

"So, Sam," Fiona turned towards him, casting a teasing smile in his direction. "You're here early. Did you get thrown out again?"

"I'll have you know that I'm a catch missy…" he started, matching her smile before it died on his lips. "But…Yeah…"

"Well, did you give her the card?" She asked sympathetically.

"I did," he sighed, looking down into his empty beer bottle miserably.

"And?" she asked patiently, catching Michael's amused glance as he passed her a fresh bottle of beer from the refrigerator.

"And, nothing. I told her I was sorry for, _you know_…and then she tells me she needs time to think. What is there to think about!" he said with a heavy sigh, taking the bottle from her and popping the cap.

Michael looked to Fiona with a quizzical glance and she shook her head, indicating that she would fill him in on the details later. Turning back to the miserable man who sat at the kitchen counter, she moved towards him to pat him on the shoulder.

"_Sam_, _Sam_, _Sam_," she sighed. "When are you going to realise that it takes more than a card to say you're sorry for accidently killing a girls pets?"

"It's not like I killed them on purpose!" he moaned. "I didn't mean to drop my electric razor in the tank!"

"Excuse me?" Michael was confused. His gaze swept from Sam to Fiona's, unable to hide the amusement in his eyes. "You were thrown out for killing fish?"

"Not just any fish, Mike," Sam groaned. "Her prized African Tiger Fish."

"So just buy her some more."

"I offered, but apparently Melvyn and Francesca were her babies…" Lifting the bottle to his lips, he took a long gulp of the bitter liquid before placing the bottle back on to the counter top.

"I'm sorry Sam," Michael told him as he tried to hide the amusement from his lips.

"Oh for goodness sake, you two are hopeless," Fiona shook her head and held out her hand to Sam. "Give me your phone."

"What?" he asked, moving his hand over his pocket protectively. "Why?"

"Just give me your phone," she demanded, her voice rising as she tapped her nails on the counter impatiently.

When he handed it over, she scrolled through it before finding the number she wanted and pressed the green button. Turning away from the two bewildered men, she waved a finger between the pair of them. "You two try not to cause any trouble while I sort out Sam's mess…" Then she turned and disappeared out onto the balcony.

"Is it me or has she got more crazy that usual?" Sam asked huffily. "You know, I was only doing what she told me to do…"

Michael held his hands up in mock surrender as he turned away to pick up his mug to hold it up to his lips.

"I'm…I don't think I'll answer that," he inclined his head to Sam, indicating that Fiona had come back in from the balcony and was heading their way.

Fiona strode purposely towards Sam to stop beside him and handed him back his phone. "Breakfast this morning at her place, she's expecting you."

Sam took the phone from her and gazed up at her in complete awe. "How?"

"I told you. Men haven't got a clue when it comes to relationships. Now go, and try not to murder any more of her fish."

"Uh, she doesn't have any," Sam told her a little guiltily as he slid his phone back into his pocket.

"Well when you take her out to buy some more, she will." Fiona glanced towards Michael who was watching them with confusion. He felt like he was watching some kind of parody unfolding right before his eyes.

"Fi, I could kiss you!" Sam grinned as he jumped up from the stool and practically sprinted towards the door.

"Don't make me shoot you!" She told him with a sarcastic smile.

"Catch you two later," he beamed as he left, swinging the door closed behind him.

"Do I want to know?" Michael asked when she came into the kitchen to wrap her arms around him.

"Hmm, nope," she smiled up at him and kissed his chin before drawing away just as quickly to grab hold of his hand, pulling him towards the door. "Come on, your mom's expecting us."

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thank you as always for your reviews, personal messages and story adds. I have really enjoyed writing this story, but I think it's come to a natural end. **

**I hadn't planned to end it the way it has, but my lovely CSI friend TDCSI kept planting the idea in my head, so you have her to thank for this. I hope you like the ending hun.**

**I may write a sequel at some point depending if anyone would like to read it.**

5

Madeline beamed a huge smile at Fiona when she walked through the door. She stubbed her cigarette out into a nearby astray and held out her arms, pulling the younger woman into a tight embrace before stepping back to hold onto her hands.

"How are you doing, honey?" she asked as she squeezed her hands warmly. "You were really quiet at dinner last night. Is everything okay with you and Michael?"

Fiona couldn't help but love this woman who had become more of a mother to her over the past few weeks. She smiled broadly at her before pulling back.

"I'm good," she told her. "We're both _really_ good."

Madeline nodded dubiously and looked towards the door, half expecting her son to come walking through at any moment. When he didn't, she turned back to the woman before her, watching her with a worried gaze.

"So, where is he?" Madeline asked through narrowed eyes

Fiona smiled happily and untangled her hands from Madeline's fingers to hook her arm through the older woman's to pull her towards the kitchen table.

"We're out of a few things at home, so he went to the store."

Unlinking her arm from Madeline's, she moved towards one of the chairs and sat down. Her eyes following the older woman's as she did the same to sit down beside her.

"Home?" Madeline asked with a beaming smile, hardly able to contain her excitement as she reached out a hand to cover Fiona's. "So are you two living together now?"

Fiona blushed slightly as she dropped her eyes to their joined hands on the table before looking back up at her again with sparkling eyes.

"I _guess_ we are."

"Oh honey, that is terrific…I can't…" Leaning forward, Madeline beamed a huge smile at the younger woman and planted a kiss on her cheek. "That is the best news I have heard all week…I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

"Me too," Fiona grinned with sparkling eyes.

"Are you really okay though, honey?" Madeline asked worriedly. "It's just that last night you seemed, I don't know…sad."

"I'm fine," Fiona told her, guilt seeping into her words. "I…had a reason for sending Michael to the store…I just wanted to see you alone first…I wanted to tell you that you were right."

Madeline regarded Fiona fondly. "About what?"

Fiona swallowed hard as she met Madeline's gaze, emotion filling her eyes. "I told him about the baby last night," she told her, her breath catching in her throat as her face lit up when she smiled. "He was…wonderful…"

"Oh honey," Madeline couldn't help the happiness escaping through her words as she reached out with her other hand to hold Fiona's in both of hers. "I told you he would be, didn't I?"

"You did," Fiona laughed as an errant tear escaped to roll down her face. Lifting her free hand she hurriedly swiped it away.

"He really does love you, sweetheart. I know he doesn't always show it…but he does."

Fiona sighed happily and nodded her head as she blinked back the tears in her eyes. "I know he does."

The door suddenly banged open as Michael came in carrying a large grocery bag in his arms. His eyes drifted over towards the two women watching him from the table before he placed the bag onto the kitchen counter.

"Hey sweetheart," Madeline beamed as she got up from the chair to walk towards him to throw her arms around his waist and hug him.

"Hi Ma," Michael told her with an awkward smile as he patted her back a few times before untangling himself from her.

Madeline beamed an adoring smile up at him. She couldn't remember a time when she had ever seen him this…happy. Looking over at Fiona who had moved towards them to lean against the kitchen counter, she smiled at her as she pulled another cigarette from the packet.

"I'm making pancakes," she told them with a beaming smile as she put a cigarette to her lips and lit it.

"Mom…you're cooking?" Michael asked dubiously, trying to disguise the apprehension in his voice. His mother's cooking was always an experience, and not always a pleasant one.

"I've been taking lessons," she told him proudly as she blew a plume of smoke into the air. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh…it's a surprise ma," Michael told her as he flashed her a wary smile before catching Fiona's warning glare.

When Madeline walked towards the stove, Michael turned to Fiona and grabbed her hand, pulling her to him.

"Whose idea was this?" he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

When she moved back slightly to look up into his eyes, she cast him a gaze that told him all he needed to know. His face softened and he couldn't help but smile down at her.

"I didn't know she was going to cook," she told him, her voice no more than a whisper. "She just wants to spend some time with you."

Michael stepped closer to her to grasp onto her shoulders, running his fingers up and down her arms until he took hold of her hands.

"Okay," he leant in to place a kiss onto her forehead without releasing her hands.

He was rewarded with a beaming smile that almost caused his knees to buckle beneath him. He'd never felt like this before, so enamoured by the woman before him.

When he released her hands, he stayed close by her side, as if her mere presence could protect him from the disaster he knew would be awaiting him when his mother served up her version of pancakes.

"Well, I'm sure she'll have some juice here somewhere, at least it'll take the _taste_ away!" He whispered jokingly, earning him a swipe on his arm.

"Behave," she told him with a smile as she stepped closer to him enticingly. "_I'll make it worth your while_…"

Michael gulped heavily and moved backwards, away from her. "Ma," he called, keeping his eyes on Fiona. "Do you want help with anything?"

Madeline poked her head out from behind an open cupboard door, a cigarette balancing on her lips. "No, I've got it…why don't you and Fi go sit down."

Fiona smiled at him and nodded towards the grocery bag he'd brought in with him. "So, what did you buy?"

"Huh?" he asked in confusion when her fingers ran over his bare arm.

"The groceries?" she asked him with a beaming smile. "They're not ours, are they?"

"What?" shaking his head he focused on her as she spoke and tried to regain his senses. Her touch was driving him to distraction but he couldn't bear to move away.

"Never mind," she grinned, as she squeezed his fingers. "Whatever you brought your mom, I'm sure she'll love it."

His eyes lit up with adoration, no wonder he loved her so much when she never ceased to amaze him. Leaning down, he planted a kiss into her hair, his arms pulling her tighter to him, "How did you know?" he asked, moving his arms to wrap her into his warm embrace.

"Because I know you," she told him with an adoring smile as she leant in closer to press her lips to his.

The kiss lasted only seconds, but it was enough. That one gentle touch conveyed the overflowing burst of feelings that had kept them woven together for so many years, only now binding them tighter in a love so strong that no one could ever come between them.

"Michael—" Madeline's voice caught them both by surprise and they sprang apart guiltily.

"Ma…" Michael started. "We were just…uh…"

"Don't stop on my account," she told them with a Cheshire cat like grin. "I was just going to ask you to set the table, but you carry on…pretend I'm not here!"

When she scurried away again, Fiona looked up into Michael's flushed face and couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped her lips. He was completely adorable.

"We'll do that for you, Madeline," Fiona called out as she wrapped her fingers around Michael's hand and tugged him towards the kitchen.

000

Michael lifted a piece of pancake to his lips and regarded it dubiously. He was just about to put it back onto his plate when a sharp kick in his calf caused him to sit bolt upright in his chair and cast an accusing look in Fiona's direction.

She was glaring at him with a look that told him she wasn't amused and he immediately popped the pancake into his mouth and tried not to grimace as he chewed.

"Madeline," Fiona turned her attention to the older woman, keeping her eyes on Michael for a moment before she smiled at him in an apology. When Madeline looked in her direction she reached out to put a hand on her arm.

"Thank you for doing this for us," she told her, indicating the table, loaded with pancakes and various toppings. "You didn't have to go to so much trouble."

"I wanted to, honey," she beamed. "It's not often that the three of us are all together…it's special…"

Michael watched her for a few moments as if he was seeing her in a new light. For so many years he'd held on to so much resentment, most of it displaced onto her. His father was a brutal man who spoke with his fists, and for so many years Michael had vowed to get away from here and never return. But over the last four years he'd learnt a lot about his mother that he hadn't previously known. And having Fiona in his life, showing him what it was to feel so connected to another person had changed him. She had shown him that his mother had done the things she had to protect him in the only way she knew how. And for that, he had a new found respect for her.

"Mom," he spoke softly, gaining her attention as she turned to look at him questioningly.

"I mean it Michael," she told him, a small wine in her voice. "Family is special."

"Not that ma," he sighed. "I mean, I know that…but I wanted to thank you for what you did for Fi."

Both women eyed him affectionately and he suddenly felt very uncomfortable under their watchful gaze. Swallowing hard he closed his eyes briefly before he felt the touch of Fiona's hand on his and opened his eyes to seek hers. She was smiling at him encouragingly, her eyes sparkling.

Taking courage from her closeness, he turned back to his mother. "You helped Fi through a tough time when I was away. I'll always be grateful to you for looking out for her…I really do appreciate you, ma. I know there have been times when you thought I didn't."

Madeline's eyes glazed over as she smiled. "I know you do sweetheart. I love both of you so much. Family always comes first, and that's what we are…you, me, Fi, Sam and Nate."

"Yes," Michael nodded, his gaze wandering over Fiona's face as he spoke. "We are."

"Right," Madeline stood up abruptly and rubbed at her eyes quickly before reaching for her packet of cigarettes. "Let's clear this awful breakfast away and go out for some real food!"

"Ma..."

"Oh, don't humour me honey. It tastes awful," she told him as she put a cigarette to her lips and lit it.

Fiona met Michael's eyes and gestured towards the mysterious grocery bag he'd brought in with him and he suddenly remembered. Standing abruptly, he ushered his mother back towards her seat and sat her down.

"We have something for you," he told her with a wide smile as he met Fiona's gaze.

"What is it?" Madeline beamed, turning to Fiona knowing that she would tell her.

Fiona shrugged her shoulders; she had no idea what Michael had been doing when he was out and she was just as eager as Madeline to see what he'd been up to.

Rummaging into the bag on the counter, he reached in and pulled out a large box and put it on the counter top.

"We brought you a new coffee maker," he told her with a smile. "Bug free and guaranteed not to explode when you use it. I know I had to _dispose_ of the one that _Carla_ planted in here."

Madeline got up from her seat, a cigarette between her fingers as she took a look at her gift. The smile that adorned her face was one of sheer joy. She couldn't remember a time when Michael had put so much thought into buying her anything.

Opening the box, she ran her fingers over the shiny new item and couldn't help the little sob that escaped her throat.

"Oh Michael," she gushed. "I love it…thank you...it's perfect."

Fiona came to stand beside Michael and smiled up at him affectionately. From the moment they had been held up together, fighting for their lives with the whole Vaughn shoot out, he had been different. She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment it happened, but from the second she had covered his hands with hers and told him they would die together, he had changed.

"What?" he asked her incredulously when he found her gaze focused on him. But instead of words, she leaned into his side and looped her arms around his waist, placing a gentle kiss under his chin.

"You did good, Michael," she sighed against him, her lips turning up into a smile.

His arms crept over her shoulders and held her to him, as they watched Madeline fussing over her new toy, pushing things out of the way so it could take pride of place on top of the counter.

When she turned to them and beamed a happy smile in their direction, Michael knew everything had changed.

000

Later that night after spending most of the day at his mother's, Michael was eager to return to the loft. He had been sharing knowing glances with the woman beside him, her silent encouragement spuring him forward. They'd made their excuses and left a short time ago, arriving at the loft a short time later.

Michael opened the door wide for Fiona to step through, slamming it with his foot as he turned her around, his lips blindly seeking hers.

They melted into each other, everything else forgotten as jackets and shoes flew in all different directions. Fiona wound her arms around his neck, kissing him with all the longing she had been denied for the last few hours, her body seeking release with his.

Michael started walking backwards, guiding her with him as their kiss deepened into something bordering on the edge of pure passion.

Pulling her lips from his, Fiona gasped for breath, her fingers blindly wrapping themselves around his, as he gently tugged her backwards.

"You not hungry?" she smiled seductively, resisting his gentle pull for a fraction of a second before he stepped forward to lift her into his arms.

"Later," he said softly as his lips found her neck, indicating that food was the last thing on his mind right now.

Fiona's senses were on high alert, her body tingling from head to toe as she wrapped her arms around his neck, relishing his kiss with a passionate fire of her own as she sucked his earlobe into her mouth.

He groaned against her throat as they fell backwards onto the bed, their arms still linked together until Fiona lifted her body to loom above his, bathing him with her loving gaze. His lips curled into a soft smile as he gazed up at her, hoping to convey with his eyes the extent of how much he loved her.

Leaning down, she captured his lips with her own, sealing them together in a kiss that burst through into a passionate frenzy as clothes left their bodies to be discarded onto the floor.

"Fi," he groaned, her name escaping his lips when she lifted herself up to straddle his thighs.

"I'm here," she whispered, the words dying on her lips when she took him inside her. Her eyes fluttered closed with the sensations he was causing throughout her body as he slowly took her to higher realms with his gentle movements. Sliding his hands up her thighs, he coaxed her eyes open with his soft strokes, wanting to see the fire in her eyes as he brought her near the edge only to pull her back again.

Fiona bent her head to find his lips, her tongue finding his bottom lip only to capture his when he groaned into her mouth. Their kiss deepened with the same frenzy as their bodies, taking them over the edge of passion, splintering their souls together as they moaned into each other's mouths.

Their lips slowly parted, their mouths still creeping back together for tiny kisses as they rode out their passion until the throbbing began to subside and their breathing slowing to somewhere near normal.

Lifting herself up on her elbows, Fiona gazed down into his eyes, showering him with every ounce of love she possessed.

"I love you," she whispered, her heart soaring as she once again spoke the words that slipped so easily from her lips.

Michael's face lit up with her words, as his hands slid up her body to tangle his fingers into her hair. In all of his life he had never felt so consumed with fire for another person. She breathed life into him, creating a simmering flame that erupted into a powerful burst of desire whenever she was near him.

With a gentle tug, he pulled her down to meet her lips, kissing her with so much love she thought she would ignite with the passion soaring throughout her.

She felt him moving beneath her as he left her warmth, capturing the soft whimper with his lips when he withdrew from her body.

Fiona moved to his side, untangling her legs to stretch along side his body, her lips leaving his to trail across his cheek.

"I love you," he croaked, his voice cracking under his intense emotions, "I don't think I can leave you again."

She smiled as she settled down next to him to lay her head on his chest. Her fingers came up to trace patterns on his chest, lulling him into a loving embrace while she kissed his skin.

"I'll be with you," she whispered, lifting her head so she could gaze up into his eyes. "Whatever you decide."

His eyes lit up with adoration. Leaning down, he planted a kiss into her hair, his arms pulling her tighter into his chest. Moving his arms he wrapped her into his warm embrace as they both relaxed.

"Mmm, I'm happy," she mumbled sleepily, her eyes refusing to stay open any longer as she settled against him. For a moment he was content to watch her, his heart still reeling from the blissful light she had brought to his life.

Her soft sighs lulled him into peacefulness, her love wrapping him in a blanket of warmth as he slowly drifted off to sleep beside her.

Epilogue

Fiona's heart was racing, she was here, with the man she had loved for so long, feeling more loved and protected than she had ever felt in her life time…and now _this_.

Staring down at the white stick in her hand, she swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. How could this happen, now of all times? They'd been so careful.

Tears burned her eyes as she fought to think of a way to tell him. She didn't know if he actually wanted this life, even though he'd insisted he did. They were just words after all, words that could be denied when he changed his mind.

She was so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't hear him come back into the loft. The bed dipped beside her and her eyes sprang to his only to turn away just as quickly.

"I…" she indicated the white stick in her hands and was dismayed to feel a tear escape from her eyes to roll down her cheek. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" he asked softly, reaching out to brush the errant tear away from her face.

She dropped her eyes to her hand that held the incriminating evidence and sighed heavily, tears blurring her vision. "For this…"

"Fi," his voice spoke softly as he tried to coax her to meet his gaze, "Fiona…"

"I'm pregnant," she told him quickly, her voice coming out somewhere between a hiss and a sob. "I'm…we're…"

"I know," he kept his voice tender when his arm slid around her shoulders to pull her close against his chest. His eyes travelled down to hers, trying in some way to convey to her just how much she meant to him. He could drown in her gaze; willingly fall into her welcoming depths if it meant he could stay there forever, and at that moment, he didn't care about anything else but this woman beside him.

One hand left her shoulder to glide up over her skin, leaving goose bumps over her flesh as he came to rest the palm of his hand over her still flat stomach. Their eyes spoke volumes, both needing more than mere touches alone as they slowly gravitated together, their lips meeting in one gentle touch before pulling away to settle against each other again.

"We're going to be okay," he whispered into her hair as he felt her settle in his arms. "With my burn notice lifted I have choices now. I don't have to leave Miami for months at a time."

Fiona burrowed closer into his chest, resting her head beneath his chin. "But what if it happens again…what if I lose it?" she whispered tearfully. "Michael…"

"You won't," he told her, pressing reassuring kisses over her temple. "I won't let it…"

"But…"

"Shh," he whispered into her hair, moving her back so that he could look into her tear filled eyes. He met her gaze with a watery one of his own as his lips turned up into a bright smile. "We're going to be okay…all three of us…"

End

Thank you for reading


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